


Just Like This

by starchaser14



Category: Veronica Mars (Movie 2014), Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Related, F/M, First Kiss, Friendship, Mr. Kiss and Tell Spoilers, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, The Thousand Dollar Tan Line Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-14 15:17:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18950713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starchaser14/pseuds/starchaser14
Summary: What if there was a specific reason Mac didn't want to kiss Dick after he apologized in season 3, episode 19?





	Just Like This

**Freshman Year - Hearst**

Mac walks away from the group sitting around the fire. The desire to help Wallace is increased exponentially by Dick’s drunken antics. She doesn’t really pay attention to the words coming out of Dick’s mouth after he catches up to her until he turns her to look at him.

“The way I treated you and Beav was totally uncool. And I’m totally sorry for all those things I said.” He looks sincere, and for a moment she actually believes him. “Yeah, ok. Accepted.”

“You’re so cool. I get it now, what my brother saw in you.” He leans down to kiss her and she puts her hand over his mouth with a frown. “Not like this.” She trudges on to Wallace.

He calls after her. “Don’t tell Logan, OK?”

He looks up, “Wait, ‘Not like this?’ What does that mean?”

———

**Sophomore Year - Heart**

Why had she agreed to come to a Zeta Theta party? No, it wasn’t as crazy as a Pi Sig party, but it was still on Greek row. And why did she have such crappy taste in men? Sure, the Theta was drunk and had thrown herself at Mac’s boyfriend, but he wasn’t drunk, so kissing the random girl back was not OK. 

Mac stalked down the sidewalk, away from the blare of the music, away from the shouts of her former boyfriend saying how sorry he was. Mac just kept walking. 

“Hey, Mackie!” Dick sidled up next to Mac, his long stride easily matching her quick march.

“Really not in the mood, Dick.”

“Where are you headed? Need a ride?” He swung his key ring around his finger.

“I’m just going back to my dorm. It isn’t even that late. I don’t think I need an escort.”

Mac keeps walking and Dick keeps pace beside her until she finally slows to look at him. He hadn’t been a complete asshole the last few times she’d run into him. They’d played Halo a couple of times over the last few months when she was finished working with Logan.

“I’m fine, Dick,” she says with a sigh. “It’s just been a shitty night.” 

He puts his hands on her arm, rubbing it gently. “I’m sorry, Macster.” She nods and resumes her walk, though she walks more slowly now.

They continue in silence through campus for a while, finally saying “my boyfriend let some random girl kiss him tonight.”

“Not that it’s an excuse or anything, but were they drunk?”

“She was. He wasn’t.”

“Yeah. That’s not good.” He wraps his arm around her shoulder, holding her close to him as they walk until they reach her dorm. She looks up at him, a tear sliding down her cheek.

“I’m really sorry, Mac.”

“It’s not your fault.”

He shrugs. “I know, but I totally sympathize. Empathize? Whatever, I feel for you.” 

She nods. “Thanks, Dick.”

They stand there, contemplating one and other. “I should go in.” She turns to the front door, only for Dick to grab her hand. 

“Mac…” She looks up at him and sees… she’s not really sure what emotion she sees there, but it is strong and her heart breaks, just a little, to view so much naked feeling. Another tear slips down her cheek. 

She looks at his chest only to realize that her hand is pressed there. She didn’t know that she had moved it. She looks back up to his face.

Her voice shakes, just a little. “Not like this.” 

He nods. Somehow understanding when she doesn’t. She dashes up to the entrance of her dorm and is gone.

———

**Senior Year - Hearst**

Mac hasn’t seen Dick as much since Veronica left Neptune. Even less since Logan dropped out. They didn’t run in the same crowd anymore. 

But when she’d heard about Logan ODing last year and she had sat with Dick in the hospital, holding his hand and wondering how on earth she was going to tell Veronica about this. When the doctor finally told them that Logan was going to be OK, Dick had hugged her, hard, kissed the top of her head, and whispered, “Please don’t tell Ronnie.” She’d nodded and he'd let her go. 

Now she waits as the Dean calls Isaiah James Carmichael, Marilyn Carver, and finally, Richard Casablancas, Jr. She claps hard, her hands hurting, and hears Logan in the audience somewhere hooting and yelling “Go Dick!” Dick’s fraternity brothers yelling some Pi Sig cheer. 

When it is all over, she sees him across the Quad, giving Logan the “manly” half handshake, half one armed hug. She’s glad that Logan is back in school again, his life finally moving forward. She watches Logan leave and before she knows it, she’s standing in front of Dick Casablancas.

“Congratualtions, Dick.”

His smile is radiant as he grabs her around the waist, picks her up, and spins her around. “You too, Macadoodle,” he says when he finally puts her back on her feet, but he doesn’t let her go.

“What are you doin’ tonight? The Pi Sigs are throwing a killer party.”

“Thanks, Dick, but I’ve got one last dinner with the family and a good night’s sleep on the agenda. I leave for Palo Alto in the morning.” 

His smile dims, but he nods. “Always knew you were gonna take over the world.”

Mac looks into his eyes. “I’m really proud of you, Dick. You did it. You got your shit together.” 

“We can’t all be ‘Magna Cum Laude,’” glancing at the cords hanging around her neck, “but I graduated. I don’t think anyone thought that would happen.”

She smiles.

“I’m gonna miss you, Mackie. I know we don’t hang out or whatever, but I like knowing that you’re around. That any minute I could totally bump into you at the Sack ’n Pack or at the movies like when Iron Man came out.”

She nods, understanding. “I’m going to miss you too.” 

“You really are something spectacular. If you think about it, can you put my name on the Skynet 'Do Not Kill’ list?”

She laughs. “I’ll see what I can do.”

She slides her hands up from where they rest of his chest and rises onto her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tight. Mac pulls away and looks up. “We probably looks like we’re slow dancing,” she says with a laugh. 

A look crosses his face that she can’t quite interpret, but then Dick leans in, slowly, almost as though he’s afraid she’s going to run away. His lips are barely a breath away from hers when he whispers, “Just like this,” and closes the distance.

It is a sweet kiss, a goodbye. Dozens of people wander past them around the Quad, but in that still moment, it is just the two of them.

“Hey, sorry guys!” some random student says as he bumps past them and moves on without a glance. But the spell is broken. Mac drops her hands from Dick’s hair and he lets go of her back.

“Good luck, Dick. Be happy.”

“You too, Cindy.” With a nod, she walks away.

——— 

**10 Year Reunion - Neptune High**

Dick’s heard Mac has moved back, but he hasn’t seen her yet. He checks her Instagram sometimes. Not in a stalkery way, at least he hopes not, but in a “I wonder how my old friend Mac Attack is doing” way, and boy is she hot. Not like Malibu Barbie hot, and not saying that she wasn’t pretty before, but now she's like totally confident in her own skin HOT… sexy… sensual… and for the first time in his life Dick is contemplating buying a thesaurus because he needs a better word. 

He’s hoping Mac’ll be at the reunion tonight and that Ronnie isn’t with her. Even after nine years and dealing with her over the last week as she’s been helping Logan, Veronica Mars is still scary. But luck has never really been on Dick’s side.

Logan says he isn’t coming to the reunion, but then Logan is there throwing punches after that stupid sex tape pops up yet again. And he has to be there for his boy, so he has some random girl hold his drink as he jumps into the fray. 

Then Ronnie sets the sprinklers off and it’s time for the after-party.

He wants so badly to talk to her, but Dick knows he made a bit of a dick of himself when he saw Mac walk into the reunion. He has a seriously random conversation with Veronica about Susan Knight’s death, he turns down a blow job from Shelley Pomroy, and he watches Mac dance, laugh, drink with her friends.

Dick has known Veronica a long time and can tell that Veronica is faking being drunk. It’s just sad that apparently Piz can’t. Must not want to give it up tonight, he thinks to himself. Wallace knows Veronica is faking it too, but he helps Piz get her out to the Uber. 

Mac stands over at the bar. He still hasn’t really talked to her, and with her friends gone, this is probably his best chance. The music has changed, the party is winding down and the DJ’s song choices suggest it as well.

“How about a dance?” 

“You’ve never really seemed like a Slow Jamz kind of guy, Dick,” but she says it with a smile and takes his hand. They slide a few steps away from the bar and Mac puts her hands up around the back of his neck. Dick’s hands slide up her back, holding her close. She tucks her head, fitting just under his chin.

“Do you ever think that if you could go back and just change one thing that it would fix all the other stupid mistakes you made too?”

“A ripple effect?” 

“Yeah. Like if you’d just walked that girl to her car that time, it would have made everything better.” 

———

**8th Grade - Salacia Middle School**

Cindy is ridiculously nervous. Her first Boy/Girl party. Shelley Pomoroy’s parents said she could host the first Boy/Girl party in the 8th grade class but she had to invite the WHOLE class. Even the kids who aren’t ‘09ers. So now Cindy sits in the passenger seat of her Dad’s sedan trying really hard not to throw up.

“I’ll pick you up at 10, ok Sweetie?” Cindy nods and gives her Dad a little smile. “Have fun.”

Cindy climbs out of the car, takes a deep breath, and heads towards the front door. 

Nearly two hours later Cindy wonders what she is doing here. They’re all in the “Entertainment Room” of Shelley’s house and an adaptation of spin the bottle has been going on for a while. 

Based on the Lilly Kane version created for her high school party last month, whoever’s turn it is spins, whoever it lands on pulls a piece of paper out of the hat. That piece of paper tells them what they have to do. Cindy has now seen things she never thought she’d see.

Casey Gant had arm wrestled Veronica Mars. And LOST! Duncan Kane had to kiss Luke Halderman. Just on the check, but still. Logan Echolls and Cindy had to pick up an orange together without using their hands and now it was her turn to spin. 

She watches the rotation of the bottle, feeling a little nauseous as it slows, only to stop pointing directly at Dick Casablancas. The hat is handed to him and he pulls out a slip of paper.

“Seven minutes in heaven,” he says with a smirk. The whole party oooh’s.

Dick hops up and steps over the bottle to where Cindy sits, putting his hand out. She takes it and he pulls her to standing. 

“So where’s heaven?” Dick asks. Shelley jumps up and ushers the two of them over to a closet on the far side of the room. A kitchen timer sits on one of the built in book shelves next to the door. Shelley opens the door and Dick leads Cindy inside. Shelley sets the timer. “Have fun!” The door closes and Cindy stands facing Dick in the darkness. 

They stand there not saying anything for a long moment. Dick still holds her hand from when he helped her up. He feels it tremble. 

“You know, it’s just a kiss, right,” Dick whispers. “I’m not gonna like jump your bones or anything.” Cindy stays silent, but the trembling continues.

“It’s all right. You don’t have to kiss me if you don’t want to. I won’t tell.” 

Cindy voice is barely audible, even though they are standing close. “I’ve never…” 

“Is that all? It’s easy. You don’t need to be nervous. I’ll show you.” He gently tugs the hand he is holding up to his shoulder. “Just put your hands up here, like we’re slow dancing.”

“I’ve never done that either,” Cindy mutters with huff, but does as he says.

“And I put my hands here, on your hips.” He does and it makes Cindy shiver. “Is this ok?”

She nods, the realizes that he can’t see her in the dark and murmurs, “Yes.”

“Now tilt your head up a little and close your eyes.” She does as he says.

She feels a hint of breath brush her lips before his skim hers in the briefest brush. For a heartbeat, she is disappointed. Is that all? Was that her first kiss? But then she feels the a sigh and he murmurs “And I’m going to kiss you, just like this.” 

This time the pressure is real, soft and tender and marvelous. This. This is what everyone was raving about. His lips caress hers and she doesn’t think she’s ever felt anything like it. It’s intimate. She doesn't think she understood what that word really meant until now. She lets her lips skate across his, no longer the kissee, but an active kisser and Dick seems to approve, silently begging for more. Cindy sinks into the feeling, urging him, and her fingers slide up from Dick’s shoulders and into his hair. His hold on her waist shifts as well, his hands sliding from her hips to her back, pulling her closer.

She’s always thought that Dick was sort of gangly, but his chest is hard and she gasps as their bodies meet. She never wants this moment to end. She feels the tip of his tongue slide across the bottom of her upper lip and she whimpers. Why had she never done this before? Is it always this amazing? Can she and Dick just stay in this room doing this until the end of time? 

She pulls Dick closer as she flicks her tongue out to touch his and he groans, one of his hands sliding up her back and into her hair. She’s definitely in heaven. He pulls her closer. She wants to be closer. His grip tightens. 

Suddenly there is light and sound. The door has been ripped open. The timer is ringing and it seems the whole party has gathered outside the door for a peak into heaven. Cindy and Dick slowly pull back from the kiss, blue eyes staring into blue eyes. Some of the kids hoot and jeer. Cindy blushes as her hands slide out of Dicks hair. He smirks, though one of his arms stays wrapped around her back.

There is a knock on the closed Entertainment Room door and a parental voice calls in, “Cindy! Your dad’s here.” 

Cindy glances at Dick giving him a little smile. He brushes a piece of her hair behind her ear, his finger stroking her cheek. 

The other kids have mostly moved back to the circle, ready to move onto the next player, but Madison Sinclair stands in front of them, her arms crossed over her chest, glaring. Cindy brushes past her, heading to the door. She looks over her shoulder, her eyes catching Dick’s. He smiles at her, he’s beaming, and she smiles back, unsure if she has ever felt this happy.

On Monday, she finds out that Dick and Madison are officially “a couple.” She hears how Madison gave Dick a lap dance in front of everyone on her turn and Cindy’s heart feels like it has shattered into a million fragments.

In Pre-Algebra she gets a note passed to her. She glances around the room and sees Dick, two seats behind her and one row over. He looks down at the note, then back up to her face. She doesn’t open it. A few minutes later, as she walks to the pencil sharpener, she drops it back on his desk. She has crossed out her name and written “Not like this.” 

———

**10 Year Reunion Afterparty - Neptune High**

Her head rests on his chest. 

“I don’t know. Maybe you can only fix the past in the present.”

Mac looks up at Dick’s face and it breaks her heart just a little, the sadness she sees there.

“I should go home.” Mac’s hands slide down from Dick’s neck and come to rest of the lapels of his jacket. "Walk me to my car?"

"Sure," he says, like he knows that this was his shot, to say just the right thing, and he’s blown it.

Mac takes Dick’s hand and they walk out of the apartment to the elevator. After a moment, the doors open and they step inside. 

“You want to know how to change the past?” Dick nods. Mac gives him a little smile.

As the elevator doors close, she reaches up and threads her fingers through his hair. “Just like this.” The smile that breaks out on Dick’s face is incandescent. He wraps his arms around her waist. They seal it with a kiss.


End file.
